Echinacea Plant Named &#39;BullEchipur 111&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Echinacea plant having a compact growth habit and large, orange colored blooms.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Pat. Application No. 63/360,789, filed Oct. 28, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Botanical classification: Echinacea purpurea.

Varietal denomination: ‘BullEchipur 111’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant known by the varietal name ‘BullEchipur 111’. The new variety was discovered in August of 2020 in Gönnebeck, Germany as the result of a planned breeding program with the purposes of providing Echinacea plants with unique flower colors, a compact growth habit, increased branching, and more uniformity when compared to prior Echinacea plants. The new variety is the result of a cross between an unpatented Echinacea purpurea variety having an internal breeder’s reference of “Bul Mix 2019” (female parent) and an unpatented Echinacea purpurea variety having an internal breeder’s reference of “Bul Mix 2019-21” (male parent) from the breeder’s own collection. The new variety was first asexually reproduced via in-vitro tissue culture cuttings in Gönnebek, Germany in September of 2020. The new variety is similar to its parental varieties in botanical classification, but exhibits a more compact growth habit, larger flower size, and different flower color than both of its parental varieties. Further, ‘BullEchipur 111’ exhibits better branching than its female parent and smaller leaves and earlier flowering than its male parent.

When ‘BullEchipur 111’ is compared to Echinacea purpurea variety named ‘Balsomador’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. PP26,639, marketed as “Sombrero® Adobe Orange”), ‘BullEchipur 111’ is similar to ‘Balsomador’ in botanical classification and flower color, but ‘BullEchipur 111’ exhibits a more compact growth habit with increased branching and larger flowers that distinguish it from ‘Balsomador’. Further, the following characteristics distinguish ‘BullEchipur 111’ when generally compared to other Echinacea varieties known to the breeder:

-   Orange flower color; -   Large flowers; -   A compact and uniform growth habit; -   High branching; -   Fast crop time; -   Early flowering; and -   Small leaves.

The new variety has been trial and field tested and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true to type through successive asexual propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic drawing illustrates the new variety at 22 weeks of age, with the color being as nearly true as is possible with color illustrations of this type:

FIG. 1 shows an entire plant of the new variety.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description sets forth the characteristics of the new variety as the result of asexual reproductions performed via in vitro tissue culture cuttings carried out in Gönnebeck, Germany. Plants of the new variety were grown outdoors in 19 cm (3 liter) pots under normal field production conditions, and the color readings and measurements were observed outdoors under natural light on 22 week old plants in Gönnebeck, Germany. Color references are primarily to the 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, Sixth Edition, except where terms of ordinary significance are used.

PLANT

-   Time to initiate roots: About 7 days at approximately 19-20° C. . -   Time to develop roots: About 40-50 days at approximately 18° C. . -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant from a rooted cutting:     About 12-14 weeks in a 19 cm container. . -   Rooting habit: Exhibits numerous roots that are freely branching and     healthy in appearance. -   Plant height: 35.0-50.0 cm. -   Plant width: 25.0-30.0 cm. -   Habit: Upright, compact, and uniform growth with numerous branches.     . -   Disease/pest resistance: Nothing unusual noted to date. . -   Temperature tolerance: Nothing unusual noted to date. . -   Drought tolerance: Average. -   Branches (flowering stems):     -   Number per plant.—10-20.     -   Length.—20.0-30.0 cm.     -   Diameter.—3.0-10.0 mm.     -   Internode length.—1.0-5.0 cm.     -   Angle.—Upright and outward.     -   Strength.—Strong.     -   Texture.—Pubescence present.     -   Color.—Close to Yellow-Green Group RHS 144A up to 147A. . -   Foliage:     -   Arrangement.—Single.     -   Leaf.—Length: 4.0-20.0 cm. Width: 1.0-5.0 cm. Shape: Lanceolate.         Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate to acute. Margin: Entire.         Aspect: Straight to curved. Texture: Upper surface: Rough.         .Lower surface: Rough. Color: Young leaves: Upper surface: Close         to Green Group RHS 137B. .Lower surface: Close to Green Group         RHS 137C. Mature leaves: Upper surface: Close to Green Group RHS         137B. .Lower surface: Close to Green Group RHS 137C. Petiole:         None present. Veins: Venation type: Cross-venulate to         longitudinal. Color: Upper surface: Close to Yellow-Green Group         RHS 145A. Lower surface: Close to Yellow-Green Group RHS 145B.

INFLORESCENCE

-   Bud:     -   Diameter.—1.0-3.5 cm.     -   Length.—1.3-2.0 cm.     -   Color.—From Green Group RHS N138B up to Greyed-Purple Group RHS         187A. -   Appearance: Elliptic-shaped ray florets and tubular-shaped disc     florets. -   Natural flowering season: Flowering occurs from July-September in     Gönnebeck, Germany, beginning approximately 12-14 weeks after     planting. . -   Average number of inflorescences per plant: 10-20. -   Average number of inflorescences per branch: 1-3. -   Disc and ray floret arrangement: Disc florets are arranged in the     middle of the receptacle of the composite, single, freely flowering     plant, with ray florets extending outwardly therefrom. -   Fragrance: Unchanging. -   Inflorescence:     -   Diameter.—4.0-8.0 cm.     -   Height (depth).—2.0-3.5 cm.     -   Diameter of disc.—1.5-3.5 cm.     -   Receptacle height.—1.0 cm.     -   Receptacle diameter.—1.5-3.5 cm. -   Ray florets:     -   Number per inflorescence.—18-26.     -   Arrangement.—In two or three whorls.     -   Length.—2.0-5.5 cm.     -   Width.—1.2-2.0 cm.     -   Shape.—Elliptical.     -   Apex.—Obtuse.     -   Base.—Acute.     -   Margin.—Entire.     -   Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth and glabrous. .Lower surface:         Rough.     -   Color.—When opening: Upper surface: Close to Orange Group RHS         28A. .Lower surface: Close to Red Group RHS 39B. At maturity:         Upper surface: Close to Orange-Red Group RHS 34D. .Lower         surface: Close to Greyed-Red Group RHS 180D. .Ground color         description: Close to Orange Group RHS 28A.     -   Venation.—Appearance: Parallel. Color: Upper surface: Same color         as the florets. Lower surface: Same color as the florets. .     -   Disc florets:     -   Number per inflorescence.—Numerous; too many to quantify. .     -   Arrangement.—In the center of receptacle.     -   Length.—8.0-15.0 mm.     -   Width.—1.0-2.0 mm.     -   Shape.—Tubular.     -   Apex.—Pointed.     -   Color.—Immature: Close to Greyed-Purple Group RHS 187A. At         maturity: Close to Greyed-Purple Group RHS 187B. . -   Phyllaries:     -   Number per inflorescence.—40-50.     -   Arrangement.—In three to four whorls.     -   Length.—Approximately 1.0 cm.     -   Width.—2.0-4.0 mm.     -   Shape.—Lanceolate.     -   Apex.—Elongated oval.     -   Base.—Fused.     -   Margin.—Entire.     -   Texture.—Upper surface: Rough. Lower surface: Rough.     -   Color.—Immature: Upper surface: Close to Green Group RHS NN137C.         .Lower surface: Close to Green Group RHS NN137C. At maturity:         Upper surface: Close to Green Group RHS NN137C. .Lower surface:         Close to Green Group RHS NN137C.

-   [0008] Reproductive organs: Androecium:     -   Presence.—On disc florets. .     -   Number (per floret).—One.     -   Filament length.—1.0-2.0 mm. .     -   Filament color.—Orange-brown. .     -   Anther.—Shape: Oval. Length: 1.0 mm. Color: Orange-brown.     -   Pollen.—Color: Close to Yellow-Orange Group RHS 15B. Amount:         Plentiful - too much to quantify. . -   Gynoecium:     -   Presence.—In disc and ray florets. .     -   Pistil length.—1.0-2.0 mm.     -   Stigma.—Shape: Two-parted. .Color: Orange-brown.     -   Style.—Length: 1.0-2.0 mm. .Color: Orange-brown. -   [0009] Seeds:     -   Overall size.—1.0-2.0 mm. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Echinacea plant named ‘BullEchipur 111’, as is herein illustrated and described. 